The Best Diets Importance of bone health Cognitive Hhealthis yours absolutely Bon when Importacne sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Medically reviewed by: Richard W. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you.

Video

Why healthy bones are about so much more than milk - Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

Importance of bone health -

It's especially important to bend your knees when lifting objects. Avoid movements that involve awkward bending and lifting movements. You may need to be cautious about some types of high impact exercises.

Your GP can advise you about this. Some people find their appetite starts to drop as they get older. Eating less can make it more difficult to get the nutrients you need to keep muscles and bones healthy. Staying active will help to keep your appetite up.

But if you don't feel like eating much some days, it's still important to try to stick to a healthy, balanced diet. For healthy muscles and bones, you need calcium , vitamin D and protein:.

Another reason to eat a balanced diet is that it will help you to maintain a healthy body weight. Being underweight is linked to a higher risk of fractures.

Find out about healthy ways to gain weight. If your diet isn't as good as it should be, you may want to consider taking a dietary supplement. Go for one that contains calcium and vitamin D.

Your GP or pharmacist can help you choose one that's suitable for you. Some medicines can affect your appetite. If you think a medicine you're taking may be affecting your appetite, perhaps because it makes you feel nauseous, talk with your pharmacist or GP.

They may be able to suggest an alternative. See more about food for healthy bones. Vitamin D is important for both strong muscles and healthy bones. All adults are advised to consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement, particularly during the winter months October to March.

People who are not often exposed to the sun should take a daily vitamin D supplement throughout the year. People with dark skin, such as those of African, African-Caribbean and south Asian origin, might not get enough vitamin D from sunlight, so they should consider taking a supplement throughout the year.

Find out more about vitamin D. Some foods contain vitamin D. These include oily fish such as mackerel and salmon, eggs, foods fortified with vitamin D such as fat spreads, and some breakfast cereals.

If you have osteoporosis, your GP may prescribe a calcium supplement, too. It's important you do not stop taking a medicine without getting advice from a qualified health professional.

Read more about preventing falls. Page last reviewed: 31 October Next review due: 31 October Home Live Well Bone health Back to Bone health. Keep bones healthy over Stay active Being inactive makes your muscles and bones lose strength.

Moderate-intensity exercise People over 65 should try to get minutes 2 and a half hours of moderate-intensity exercise every week. Adults with limited protein intake are at high risk for bone loss and fractures. Less protein means more fragile bones. Less protein also means weaker muscles, which leads to poor balance resulting in falls.

For those with osteoporosis, an increase in falls can lead to fractures. It is not unusual to find that people who break a bone also had a deficiency of protein in their diet over a period of several months just before their fracture. In most people who fracture, it is the inadequate consumption of protein that results in broken bones.

Many studies show that women and seniors do not consume enough protein daily. In fact, in the elderly, protein deficiency may be an important indicator of weak bone health. Protein includes beef, pork, poultry and fish with alternatives including beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, peanut or other nut butters, shelled nuts and seeds.

Official websites use. Beauty-from-within Supplement A. gov website belongs to Importanc official healgh organization in the United States. gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Bones support your body and allow you to move.